Safety-razor.



H. B'. HARTII/INj SAFETY RAZOR.

APPLICATION FILED NOV- 7. I9I6.

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SAFETY RAZOR.

APPLlcAloN msn Nov. 7. 19H5.

jlwi mem@ Nom 20, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

HARRY B. HABTMAN, oF s'coT'rDAILE, PENNSYLVANIA.'

` SAFETY-RAZOR.

To all whom z'z may concern Be it known that L HARRY B. HARTMAN, a citizen of the United States of America, residing in Scottdale, inthe county of Westmoreland andV State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new7 and useful Improvefments in Safety-Razors, of which the following is 'a true and'exact description, refc erence being had to the accompanying drawings, which form afpart'thereof.

My present invention ',eelates to safety razors andparticularly to safety'razors of 4 the type in whicha blade is detachably secured in a holder or .clamping device' to which an operating handle is attached. One' main object of my invention is to provide a razor, of the type referred to, with improved means for connecting the handle to the blade holder in such manner that the handlemay be readily adjusted relative to the blade holder to vary the relation between the active cutting edge of the blade. and the hand of the -User, and thereby permit the razor to be held in any of the various Ways in which diiierent persons may need or pre fer to hold the razor to get the best results.

vMy improved handle connection may be used with various types of blade holders, but is of especial utility when used in connection with blade holders of the kind in which the blade may be clamped in place by means of a nut formed in or carried by the handle and screwed onto a scre'w or stud carried by the blade holder, and in which the' resiliency of the blade or clamping means insures a vielding resistance to the clamping pressure of the nut.

A further object of the Jinvention is to provide a novel blade holder of desirable construction and adapted to provide a yielding resistance to the clamping nut of my improved handle construction without requiring the flexure of the blade for this purpose.

A further object of the invention is to provide a blade and blade holder arrangement which will'permit of ready adjustment for a close or less close shave without requiring the fiexure of the blade for this purpose.

The various features of novelty which characterize my invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims anneXedto and forming a part of this specification.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 20, 191'?.

Application led November 7, 1916. Serial No. 129,915.-

For a better understanding of theinvention, however, and of the advantages possessed by it, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter, in which I have "illustrated and described preferred embodiments of my invention.

Of the drawings;

Figure 1 is aeplan view of a complete razor l F ig. 2 is a section taken on the line 2 2 'of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a section taken similarly 'to Fi 3, of a portion of the razor showing a di?- ferent blade adjustment;

Fig. 5 is a partial end view of the razor shown in Fig. 1; y

Fig. 6 is a perspective View of one of the parts of the blade holder shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a section taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 3, illustrating one blade setting;

Fig. 8 is a section taken' similarly to Fig. 7 illustrating another blade setting;

Fig. 9 is a section taken similarly to Fig. 4, and showing a modified form of blade and blade holder;

Fig. 10 is a plan View of the razor shown in Fig. 9;,

-Fig. 11 is an end elevation shown in Figs. 9 and 10;

Fig. 12 is a plan view of the blade holder of the parts of an existing type of razor to which my improved handle adjustment may be applied;

Fig. 13 is a transverse section of the blade V holder shown in Fig. 12 with my handle ad-y doubled back over the body portion into alinement with one another, each terminating adjacent to the center-oi the body portion. A*

The body portion of the member B is formed with a recess B2-in its upper or inner side to receive the reinforcing blade strip A', and the guard member C is provided with a recess C .for the same purpose. The end portions B are'separatedl from' the body portion of the member B to provide a space to receive the blade and guard plate C. At

its rear edge, the body portion of the membe B is provided with up-turned lugs B3 and B4 against whichlthe back edge of the blade A abuts. To provide forl diiferent positions of the front edge of the blade, accordingly, asa close or le'sslose shave is desired, the two lugs B3 and B4 of the front plate B are asymmetrically disposed with respect to the ends of the body portion of the front plate. The blade is provided with notches A2 in its rear edge which receive the lugs B3 andB4 when the blade and blade holder are assembled, with one side of the blade uppermost, but which are laterally displaced with respect to the lugs when the other side of the blade is uppermost. To permit the two blade adjustments described Iand at the same time to insure that the blade fits snugly against the lugs B3 and B4 in each adjustment, the strip A covers vthe blade more on one side than on the other and the recess B2 extends by the recess C a corresponding amount; in the advanced position of the blade as shown in,Fig-. L the narrow side .of the strip A is received in the recess C, and inthe retracted position ofthe blade the wide side of the strip A is received" in the recess as-shown in Fig. 3. The blade and front'plate are shown assembled with the lugs B3 and B4 received in the place between the back plate C and the body portion vof the front plate B by` means of a nut screwed onto the stud C2 and pressing the free ends B of the front platetoward the adjacent face of the back plate.. The end portions B are made resilient and are advantageously yoffset as indicated at B5. In consequence, when the free ends of the end portions are Iforced toward the front plate by the clamping nut, each resilient end portion forms in effect alever of the second class, having its fulcrum at the point where itis connected to the body of the front plate and applying power to the back plate at the foot of the offset portion B5. Advantageously, the contacting surface B6 may be depressed SIightly, as shown clearly in Fig. 2.

At lits front edge,-the guard or back plate member C is formed with av set of comb teeth C2. These teeth, with the exception of the two end teeth, are beveled away from the-plane of the razor blade, and are taperedk so that the side edges of each tooth are nclined at opposite acute angles to the cutting edge of the razor" blade. Advantageously, rounded notches are formed in the edges of the back plate C between each adjacent pair of teeth C3. The two end comb teeth Ca are left flat to minimize the possibility of accidental cuts from the corners of the cutting blade.

The manner in which the side edges ofthe comb teeth C3 are inclined with respect to the cutting edges of the blade permits the effective use of the razor with an angling or slanting cut in which `the component of the razor motion parallel to the direction of the clamp the blade .and blade holder together j forms a part )of my kimproved handle conw nection. l i

The handle D comprises a body portion which may be of any suitable form, and bifurcations D at one end of the body portion by means of which the handle is adjustably secured to the blade holder. As shown, the bifurcations D are curved, and are formed tol provide surface portions D2 fitting against a spherical seat E formed in the upper` end of an annular follower or washer member E, which in the assembled condition of the razor surrounds the stud C2 and directly engages the -free ends of the resilient front plate portions B. The bifurcations D of the handle have adjacent parallel beveled edges D2 engaged, in the assembled condition of the razor, bythe conical portion F of the clamping nut F. Above its conical portion F the nut F is formed with a globular portion. In practice, tlie globular portion of the nutv F and the surfaces ofthe bifurcations D overlapping itlare made approximately spherical with their centers of curvature approximately coincident with that of the spherical seat E. In the assembled condition of the razor, the bifurcations D are slightly spread'L and the conical portions F', so that the los ' globular portion of the nut F is 'not neces in elfecting adjustments.

To prevent the separation of the nut F and Washer E, and to thereby minimize the possibility of accidental loss of parts of the 'razor 'when disassembled, the nut F is ad* vantageously formed With a recess or socketl F3, which loosely receives a stud F4 carried by the washer E and shovvn as a screw passing through a threaded radial opening in.

the Washer E, I

In aconvenient. mode of assembling the razor, shown in Figs. 1 to 8 inclusive, the

blade A is first putin place in the front plate member B, with the rear edge of the blade in contact With the lugs B3 and B4,y

as shown in Fig. 7 or Fig. 8, and then the back plate C is put in place, after'which the nut F is screwed onto the stud C2, as farl as may be necessary. To facilitate the screwing home of the nut F, the lattermay be formed, as shown, with an undercut slot F2 in its outer` end, receiving a bar-like member G. While the nut is being screwed into place, the bar vCfr is pulled out of its guide Way a short distance, as shown in Fig. l. With the bar G in this position, it extends into the `path of the bifurcations D of the handle D, as the latter is rotated With the nut F. The handle D may thus be enr4 ployed as a sort of Spanner Wrench tofscrewthe nut F home. When the nut'F is tightened suiiiciently, the bar G is moved back fully`into the guidevvayl F2, andthe handle D may then be adjusted into the proper position to suit the individual user.

The adjustment of the handle D thus pro vided for is practically universal, for the handle may be rotated about the axis of the j stud C2 through a complete circle, and may be' turned about an axis transverse to the stud' Czto vary the inclination of the handle to the axis of the stud C2 through an angle of about 90. handle Will be, adjusted to give the best results in any case Will depend upon the mental and physical characteristics of the Y user, and, indeed, with 'a single user, the

most advantageous position 'of the' handle may be different in different portions of the shaving operation. Toenable each user to quickly and accurately set the handle in the position 'which experience has shown him to be the most satisfactory, suitable scale marks may be employed. As shown, one set of scale marks B7 is applied to the spring arms B, and a second set of scale marks D5 is formed on one ofthe bifurcations D. By means of the scale marks B7, the proper "u- The position to which the 'F of the handle between the conical portion F of the handle F and the spherical seat E to prevent accidental displacement of the handle .under the forces to Which the razor .is subjected in normal operation. At the same time, the spring arms B will yield to permit the handle to be readily adjusted Without applying any force thereto beyond thatv which can be easily applied by the. handsof the ordinary user. Y

In the modified form of blade holderl shown in Figs..9, l0 and 1l, the iront plate member BB comprises abody portion generally like the body portion of the member B previously described, but differing therefrom in the fact that thelugs B3 and B4 are omitted, as is the recess B2 formed to receive the rear edge portion of the blade AA which, in this form of razor,l is shown as a flat, .rigid blade. The back turned end portions Blf of the front plate member BB terminate closely adjacent to the endsof the blade holder and need not be resilient. The resilient functionwhich, in the blade holder iirst described, is performed by the spring arms B, Vis performed in the construction shown in Figs. 9, l0 and 11 by a separate spring member H. The spring member H is in the form of a bar, having a central aperture through Which the stud C2 of the guard member'CC loosely passes, and having its ends offset at H and Iprojecting under the end portions B10 of the member BB in the assembled condition of the razor. The guard member CC is much like the guard member C first described, but the recess C is omitted, and offsetl lugs or projections C104 are provided at the-rear edge of f the'member CC. The lugs C1? project across the rear edgeof the lrazor blade AA and overlap the edge of the body 'portion of the front plate member BB. The guard member CC is also formed with oppositely eX- tendinglugs C11', which engage the rear edges of the spring bar H.' With the construction described, it will be obvious that when the central 'portion of the spring bar H is pressed tovvard the guard member C, as by means of a' clamping nut on the stud C2, the two ends of the spring -bar form spring levers Which tend to rock on the guard plate adjacent the bases of the offset portions H and thus clamp the blade in place in a manner analogous to that in which the blade is held' in place by the spring B of the construction first described.

The clamping nut screwed on the stud C2 may obviously be the nut F of the adjustable handle connection employed in the construction first described. v

The blade holder" shown in Figs. 9, 10 and l1, like that shown in Figs. l to 8 inclusive, is characterized by. itsmechanical simplicity and by the'fact that the front and back or gua-rd plate members can readily be formed by simple metal stamping operations.

My improved handle connection may readily be adapted to use with other forms of blade holders than those shown in Figs. 1 to l1, and in Figs. 12 and 13 I have illustrated the application of my improved handle-adjusted means to an existing form of blade holderA of well known type. The blade holder shown in Figs. 12 and 13 comprises a front plate B15, having its rear face curved and provided with a central threaded stud B11 and Unthreaded studs B12 adjacent each end, lwhich pass through correspondingly located apertures in a flexible doubleedged blade A1". The blade is held in place in this type of blade holder by a backA or guard plate C15, formed with comb teeth at each edge and with apertures receivin the studs B11 and B12, and the tension or the liexible blade in any normal adjustment insuis a sufficient frictional grip on the bifurcations F to maintain'the handle in the desired position or positions during the shaving operation.

. While in accordance with the provisions of the statutes, I have illustrated and describedthe best forms of my invention now known to me, it will bel apparent to those skilled in the art that some changes may be made in the form of the apparatus disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention set forth in the accompanying claims.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: 'v

1. In a safety razor, the combination of a bodyv portion comprising relatively movable bladeholding parts, a handle, and a universal joint connection between said body portion and handlefand including a'common clamping vmeans separate from the handle for tightening said joint and securing said relatively movable parts together.

2. In a safety razor, the combination of a body portion comprising relatively movable blade holding parts, a handle, and a universal joint connection between said body portion -and handle, 'and including a coinmon clamping means separate from the handle for tightening said joint andy securing said relatively movable parts together, and resilient means opposing the clamping together of said parts.

v3. In a 'safety razor, the combination of a body portion' comprising relatively movable parts, a handle formed with a slotted portion curved about an axis perpendicular to the length of the handle, and screw f threaded clamping means passing through clamping means passing throughthe slot in said concavo-convex portion and clamping said portion and the relatively'movable parts of the body portiontogetlier.` i

5. In a safety razor, the combination of a guard plate, a front plate having its ends turned back over the ends of the guard plate and clamping means acting between the guard plate andthe ends of said front plate and engaging said guard plate adjacent the ends of the latter to force said guard plate toward said front plate and clamp in place a blade which may be inserted between the front and back plates.

6. In a safety razor, the combination of a `guard plate, a front plate having portions adjacent the ends of the guard plate turned back over the latter, and resilient means acting between said portions and the guard plate and 'engaging said guard plate adjacent the ends of the latter to force said guard plate toward said front plate and clamp in place a blade whichmaybe interposed between the front and guard plates.

7. In a safety razor, the combination of a guard plate provided with a screw stud, a

front plate having resilient portions turned back over the ends of the guard plate and a clamping nut on said stud and forcing said arms against the uard plate to thereby clamp in place a kilade which may be inserted between the front and gua-rd plates. Y

8. A razor handle formed with a slotted concavo portion curved about an axis transverse to the length of the handle and means for adjustably attaching'it to a razor body provided with a threaded clamping stud, said means comprising a nut engaging the concave side of said portion and a washer formed with a seat for the convex side of said portion.

9. Arazor handle formed With a slotted concavo-convex portion, and means for adjustably attaching it to a razor body provided with a threaded clamping stud, said means comprising a nut formed with a. globular head and a. washer formed with an annular seat for said concave-convex portion.k

10. razor handle formed with aslottedv for adjustably attaching said handle to arazor body provided with a threaded clamping stud, said means comprising a Washer formed With a seat for the convex side of said curved portion, and a clamping nut formed .With a portion extending through said slot and to which said Washer is loosely connected-and an enlarged portion for engaging said curved handle portion and clamping it` against said Washer seat. 11. A razor handle formed with a slotted concavo-convex portion and having the edge surfaces of said slot oppositely inclined to a plane midway between them, a washer provided With an annular seat for the convex surface of said concavo-convex portion, and a nut provided with a conical portion engaging the edge surfaces of said slot.

`12. A razor handle formed with a slotted portion curved about an axis transverse to the length of the handle and means for adjustably attaching said handle to a razor body provided with a threaded Aclamping stud, said means comprising a Washer formed Vvvith an annular seat for the convex side of said curved portion, a clamping nut for forcing said curved handle portion against said seat and means carried by said nut and movable into and out of a position in which it prevents rotation of thehandle relative to the nut about the axis of the passage through the latter.

13. In a safety razor, the combination of aguard provided with a threaded central stud projecting avvay from itsrear side, a front plate and a pair of levers at the back of the guard, a threaded clamping device on said stud, said levers at the rear of the guard plate extending toward the stud from opposite directions and each operatively connected at one end With said clam ing means and at the other end with said ront plate, and in engagement between its ends With said guard.

RY B. HAMMAM. 

